Improved heel for boots and shoes



JOSEPH REA-D, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 104,200, aaterl June 14, 1870.

IMPROVED HEEL FOR BOOTS .AND SHOES.

The Schedule referred to in these Lettere Patent and making part of the samer.

I, JOSEPH READ, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements 1n Heels for Boots and Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

I Y Nature Objects of the Invention. ,Y

Theiirst part of my invention relates to the construction of the body of the heel out of sheet or thin metal, substantially in the hollow form of a bell or wrde-mouthed cup, with a portion of the edge of its mouth recessed or cutaway so as .to cause it, when A applied, to t closely across the rear portion of that Apart of the sole which -comesunder the hollow of the wearer-s foot, while t-he remaining portion of the upper` edge of the said cup-shaped body slopes gradually upward and backward therefrom, in sueh a manner as to iit closely and neatly, with its thin edge around and against the sides and back of that portion of the upper-leather of the boot or shoe which is just above the sole, say to the height of halt an inch, more or less, the object of this part of my invention being to afford a body for the heel, when finished and applied, that will not only be lighter, more substantial, and less costly than the equally-high leather heels now in general use, but will also adord such support to the stilening and leatherimmediately around the rea-r part, above lthe sole of the boot or shoe, as to eectnally prevent the said part from siding or backing over the heel in wearing.

.Description of the Accompanying Drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the back or rear half of a ladys high-top -shoe or gaiterboot, embodying my invention.

Figure is a plan view of the under side of tig. 1, with the adjustable tap, Figures 3 and 4, detached.

Figure 5 is a vertical section ot' the body and tap of the heel, having the said body covered with thin leather or white kid.

Gfme'ral Description.

A is the hollow metallic body oi' the heel.

B, the adjustable tap or wearing-plate.

C, the outer sole of the boot or shoe.

D, the insole.

E, a central wood screw, which secures the cap B tolth body A, and both of them more tirmly to the so e s The body A, for ladies and childrens gaiters or other light shoes, is intended to be formed up, of thin sheet-metal, by spinning, or by pressure in suitable dies. For the heavier boots and shoes, of mens wear, the body A is intended to be cast substantially in the same hollow form shown in the drawings.

The adjustable vtap or plate B, for mens boots and shoes, is intended to be of solid metal; but for ladies and childrens boots and shoes, it is intended to be formedup-of thin sheet-metal, and a disk, of solidv I s0le-leather, b', fitting into and filling its cavity.

The edge of the larger open end of A is cutaway or recessed at its front and parts of its sides, from a to a", so as to vcause it to fit close np against the bottom ofthe sole C, and along Vthe, vsides of the upper leather, while the remaining part, from a to a'f, ot the said edge, fits around neatly and closely against the upper-leather, sufficiently high up to serve as a supportto the stidening in that part ot' the boot or shoe, and thus prevent its siding or backing.ove1" the heel.

The smaller end of A is generally made to have an inner' flange, 4, throughsutable holes in which ltwo or three wood-screws, ff, pass, and screw into the sole C, so as to secure the body A firmly to the said sole; but 'these screws ff need to be applied only in mens heavy wear, the central wood-screw Eb'eing sulicient to firmly secure the heel and tap to alllighterwear.

It will be seen that the tap, whether in one solid plato -or in two parts, B b', can be turned around by loosening the screw E and readjusting it in posit-ton to' 'equalize the wearing away of the same, a small nail or pin, b", being driveri through the tap into either ot' the holes b in B, for the purpose of preventing the tap from being tnrnedround by use in wearing.

Forthosfe shoes requiring heels covered with fancy leather, silk, or other fabric, as sometimes worn by ladies in wedding or party dress, it is intended to form the body A without the inner flange 4, so that the delicate fancy leather g, (sce tig. 5,) can bedrawn over the thin edge and secured within the same by the insertion of the anged or recessed portion of' B, the y upper edge oi' the said leather being drawn over the upper edge oi'- A, and pasted fast on the inner side of the saine, as represented inthe iigure.

I am aware that a hollow metalli-c body .for a heel has been made with a guard, to prevent the backing or siding over of the fupper, and secured to the sole mainly by means of screws inserted through its'sides, and also through thepart which crosses the instep of the sole, and with a leather tap or bottom for the heel, secured thereto by a series of projections around4 the lower edge of said hollow body; therefore, I do not desire tolclairn, broadly, a hollow metallic heel and guard for a boot or shoe; but

i/Vhat I desire to secure by Letters Patent is confined to the following Claim.

l claim as my invention-f v A metallic heel for a boot or shoe, consistingof the hollow metallic .b0dy A and support or guard a af", in combination with the adjustable metallic cap B and central screw E, constructed, arranged, and applied 4 substantially as hereinbeforc described and set forth.

JOSEPH READ. fitnesses I BENJ. Morrison', WM. H; Monrsos'. 

